Golf playing apparatus



uly 3, 1945' w. A. SMITH GOLF PLAYING APPARATUS Filed March 19, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gig; 39 15 35 lNVENTOR %44/,1M4 JM/r.

BY My, AT ORNEYS y 1945. w. A. SMITH 2,379,663

I GOLF PLAYING APPARATUS Filed March 19, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m. INVENTOR lfitL/AM 4 JM/TH.

ATT RNEYS "the regular golf course. i

vAnOthBl objector the invention ;is to provide means gfOI' determining a strokeyvalueffor; each shot made according tothe accuracy of the shot of; trokes mentioned.

. to; one or-mor like units.

Patented July 3, 1945 William Au-Smith, East Orange, J. r Application March 19, lsriarseiiaino. amage ,s'claims, (c1. 273 35) $130 proin the .performance of the respectivestroke with reference togagtarget, and toprovide mechanism for recording 1suchst-roke xvalueywhich is arranged in the apparatus so as r. to be operative withrespectto a shot mad-abyiany'of the yp s Still another object of the invention .is toprovide an apparatus-of the character stated which is prefabricated yfor easy erection and dismantlingan'd which isiinthe formof a unit structure adapting ittobe arranged in side by side relation aflherforegoing and other objects of the invendeveloped in the detailed descriptionhereinafter,

- set forth.

In carryingput the present inventionfand in accordance with apreferred embodimentthereof,

the apparatus comprises a generally rectangular base over which thereis erected a cage having sidewalls and one endwallwhichrise'from the edges-of the base andatop wall which provides a ceiling at the, desired height abovezthe .bas e. Onerend of the cage is unenolosed, land at the corresponding or outer end of the base, av tee is, provided from which a golf 1ballmay be driven in the directionof a target arrangedfat the oppo- I ,siteclosed endof the cage, the target being substantially coextensive with the cage in .widtlyand height. The base is a hollow structure-havingla horizontal top wall or playing surfaceand a botspace iorthe interposition. of the mechanism. for

,determining the stroke value, of a shot! This mechanismincludes three main elements, a cush- ,ion device onto whichtheball dropsuafter striking the target, an escapement unit arranged at the inner end f th ase and comprising :a trans s sr 'bell e'scapementsu QIJD ESQE S, rend aiball guiding: surf caexterrdin zfrom t cu hio toxtheescapementzunit. The?ballrguiding uriace "hisiformedizwith;applu i lityaof contiguonschannels or runways ccorrespondinetin number ;to the es- '1 capementsrandmhe surfacesz of the cushion channels -semi -.escapemen :Q rwwwhich th .a l is edaptedsto,passareliiis ps da an' c i at orrsub- 5 stantiallyiinzthe plane ofg-thelinclined top surface vomnezbettcmwall.of'the as "B usab H w ping frqmg-the ntarget -,onto the cushion 1 will'ro-ll itherefrom y ravity lip-t0 on wrr q her of th channels and :h eu dedvth reby; to the -resp ct ve es ape'm n rtogpas fi ithroueh and ro .dow alonezth i ntt mrwallv Qf etbas to a eq pta l tor-{well at theyteeendof thea-pparatusn ..An. e1'ec- .zt ic cont ct elemen ;.is arr nged-at the dis h r e endo f eac h escapement; sons to beactuated by a :icuit 1 an ther b f e t the rec rding o .a ed i e m ltedgstrolse value on ,a scoreboard arflanged. v -ri target -where. itjis. conveniently .witm yiewtqrlthe ayer to 'see, aftercom l t swing fo stro ltrisr oposedth t thestroke tionyand-the novel .;features,thereof,wil1 beiully value l of -a shqt=shall-he determined by t e re tive mcsitions re th sca ements. i'Io this n the plowestilstrok N l 1 iwilllb recorded .iinre- I SRQD BrtO t csine f ltlie-e c ri fia tb e -;bal1 dischar ing :from one 'i i ran ne 10f. ro

of :the escapements located at th -cente of the tem,wallgspacedtherefrom and presenting a top surface lwhich is formed to ginclin e downwardly toward the outer ,orteeendcofnthebase .The inlner end: of the haseterminatesa predetermined .distance in .advance of the target to .p'rovide a 1, escapement unitnwhile thestrok valuerreco d in 1 response {to .;.th e closi g of! the electric circuit y a ba l d s hareinel'fmmvon iq th rem g s ape entssor any oneoreero pthe eo will increase.progressivelvas the escapements; are farthen-from the=center escapement onppposite;sides thereof. The target, is ,:.formed with qa centrally -located aperturewhich communicates :byimeans 40 of a 'conduit at a-theizwback of the target with -the 1 chan nelle'ading t'oithei center escapement. Thus 'aZ h01 meaty a -ball entering? thelaperture lin the ;.tar- *get,- and the passage Of thel btrllsthroughthecenlowest'strokeva1ue.f i m i In the accompanying' drawings":the @invention has-beenshown merely byway 'of exampleand in j preferred form and obviously many variations and-modifications may be made therein .which willjstillbe comprised within its spirit. '-It i is :to be understood, therefore, that 'the invention is except i sofaras' suchflirnitation's-are specified in the appended claims.

ballpassing:therethrough;toiclose, an. electric cir- "11 :one tinaytbe :considered ito'ihaive been ter;-es' capement will effectuthe TG'COI'diIlgvOf the Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention, a portion of the cage being broken away to show the interior;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus, the cage ceiling being cut away and some of the parts below the top wall of the base being indicated by broken lines;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 lookingin the direction of the arrows, part of the: cage being broken away;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section, taken on the line 4-4 of- Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the ar- Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section, showing one of the escapements; and

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of a portion of the apparatus, taken on the line 6 6 of Fig.5 looking in the direction of the arrows.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention shown'in the drawings, the apparatus includes a base I whichis of generally rectangular shape andcovered by a cage 2 comprising side Walls 3, a top orceiling 4 and an end wall 5. The

. Walls and ceiling of the cage may be formed of any suitable material such as wire mesh 6, which is supported on cross bows I havingtheir opposite ends fastened to the side edges of the base I, as at 8', and arching over the base at the desired ceiling height; At the outer end of the base I (the cage, being disposed at a slight'forward inclination, as shown in Figs. 1 and'3'. The target I2 is substantially as wide as the cage, but in order to provide'room for the mounting of a scoreboard I3 on its top edge it is of less height'than the cage and the'space between the topbf the target andthe cage is filled by a screen I4 adapted to act both to prevent the passage of a ball between'the target and the cage and toprotectthe scoreboard.

The inner end of the base I terminates a predetermined distance in advanceof the target I2 to provide space for theinterposition of an escapement unit I5 at the end of the base, a cushion I6 the filler to the well and also of; providing portfor the top wall of the base.

' The escapement unit I5 comprises a series of izontal top and bottom walls 25 and 26, respectively, enclosed at the sides and outer or tee end by vertical walls 21. At the inner end of the base, the escapement unit I5 is fitted between the walls 25 and 26 and extends continuously throughout the width of the base. The bottom wal1 26 of the base I is partially covered by a filler'28 (see Figs.

2 and 3) which presents a top surface that inclines downwardly from the escapement unit I5 to the well I8. As indicated bythe broken lines in Fig. 2, the filler 28 is of generally, triangular shape, fanning out from the well I8 so that its opposite end is coextensive with'the escapement unit I5. In other Words, one of the side edges of the filler 28 is defined by one of the vertical side walls 21 and the other by a partition 29 which ex- I8 and one end of the escapement unit I5, the

partition 29 serving the two-fold purpose of guiding a ball in rolling down the inclined surface of a suppassages or escapements 30': arranged in side by side relation. The escapementsr30 arer-defined each by a pair of spaced partitions 3|, which'are I will roll thereover, and at the discharge end of the at the foot of the target, anda plurality of contiguous channels I'I' located between the cushion I6 and the escapement unit I 5, which elementspresent a continuous inclined surfacedown which a ball striking the target and dropping ontothe cushion can roll in its return to a reservoir. or

' well I8 at the outer end of the base. 1

The target I2 may be of any desired construction, its chief requisite being that it presents a striking surface which will prevent a rebound of the ball therefrom. Such characteristics may be embodied in the target in many ways and, as shown in Fig. 3, one expedientis to provide an open sided casing I9 filled with padding material 20 and having the open side thereof covered by a pliant material which presents the striking surface 2 I. As already stated, means is provided for scoring a"hole in one. For this purposethe striking surface 2| of the target is formed with a centrally located aperture 22. The aperture 22 is ball entering the aperture 22 will eifect the recording of the lowest predetermined stroke value.

The base I is a hollow structure comprising herescapement the wall is flush with the top surface of the filler 28 in the base I.

A Adjacent the outer end of the es'capemen'tfiinit I5 the filler 28 is formed. with a series of recesses 36 out into the edge thereof, each recess being centered with respect to an escapement 30. The recesses 36' are adapted to accommodate each an electric contact element 31, which maybe of any suitable type. As shown, the contact element-L31 comprises a lower fixed member 38and an overlying movable member 39:, each connected to' a'wire conductor 40 leading to the scoring mechanism.

Withthis arrangement; a ball discharging from one of the escapements 30 strikes the movable member 39 of the respective contact element 31 and actuates it to close the electric circuiii'whereup'on the scoring mechanism is operated to record on the scoreboard I3 the stroke value assigned to uous side by side relation.

that particular escapement. I

It is pointed out at this time that the construction of the scoring mechanism per se forms'no part of the present invention and maybe'of any form adapted to accomplish the desired re'sult.-

The channels I! are provided in a surface of wood or other suitable material which completely fills the space between the inner end of the escapement'unit I5 and the cushion I6; As already stated, the channels correspondin number with the escapements 30 and are arranged in'contig Thecushion I6 extends from one side edge of the target to the other andis wide ehouglrthat is, it'extends forward from the target'eno'ugh, so that a ball striking at any height on the target surface 2I and dropping therefrom willland 'on the cushion. Like the target, the cushion 'I6 may be of any suitable construction br'ct'mposition as long as it will prevent a rebound or a ball dropping thereon; 'andfits 'top' surfaceis formed to incline downward and away' frorn the target l2 S that the ball will rollff therefrom into one of the channels l1;

A sideboard 41* is arranged iateither side of U 1 thechannelsl'l and cushion Ni to-extend be;

tween the inherend orthe base-rand the: target t2"; the forward endsof the ideboards, being; of

the same height as thebaseand the rear ends thereof rising, to "approximately oneethird: the

height of the target. As implied, the sideboards 41; will act to confine within 'thelimitsofit'he also serve ,to' support thetarget'IZ in the: forwar'dly inclined position already mentioned. It

is 'i ntended' to prevent a balhstfikingthe surface 2| thereof from clihrbingand thus insure its coming to a deadstop so as to droponto the The top horiaontal wallfiliof, the base t is adapted to present asurjace-ysuitable for putting.

To this end the all fper Se may be formed ofimaterial which will present the desired" sur face or, as shown, it may be covered with ma.- terial 42 which embodies at least some of the characteristics of the grass of a puttinggreen, suchasf resistance to. the travel ofia ballthere over,j influencing the direction, of the ball as does the green according tothe, thickness of the grass cushion Hi and channels {ll-Ia ball which might otherwise be directed to one side-thereof, and they isfpointedi'out thatsuch inclination of the target tion ofthat particular escapement relative to the center e'scapement, the respectivestroke value accorded the escapementthrough which the ball passes willybe recorded on the scoreboard) I For an approach shot, "theball may beteedr directly on the mat 9: Iii-this ins ance the,

player may use a stroke for a long'approac *with the aperture 22 as the objective: or he rnay choose to make a longchip shot with the apea ture 2-2 as the objective or-a short chip hot with any point beyond the escapernent -uri't as the objective. In any case, the'retu-rn the ball to the well I8 will come about justfla de scribed in connection with drivingstroke-,iand according to the accuracy of the shot a stroke thereofifin l'oca'lized'areas and the direction in i which the grass laysifetc, For this purpose,

a materi'al'fsuch as short nap carpeting maybe employed with good results. face of the covering 62 may befibuilt up in different areas to provide slight variations in its surface contour more nearly to approachactual Ifdesired' the sure conditions encountered on a regularputting green and thusta'xthe players skill to agreaterextent than if the surface were absolutely lei/Tell While not absolutely necessary, suitable indiciaimjay be provided at the inneriend of the bankoifescape;

on the lower part of the target 12.

In, the use of the apparatus,and as'ialready ments, l5 to indicate the location, of thetescapemerits 3D; or such indications may he markedofi pointed out, theflplayer may use idriving ap preaching and putting strokes Wlth; the'same full- 1 ness and other characteristicsiof swing as on the regular golf course, and for each shotjmade a stroke value will be recorded on the scoreboard I3 Thus, indriving, the-ball i=0, may. be teed-up on the tee It, and with the aperture 22 the target l2 asnan objective theball may be; driven with all the1 skill at the playerscommand. As-

conduit'23 and pass over the cushion I 6 so accurately as to enter the center channel? l'l its entry into any oneoftheselectedg-roup of channels resulting iin its being conducted thereby to an escapement 30 through which, passing, 'i'twill effect the recording of a single stroke by actuating the respective" electric contact element 3'! before continuing its passage down the filler 28 into the well l8- fromwhich it may be retrieved for further use. In the event that the ball strikes the target-surface 2], instead of envaluetherefor will be recorded on the scoreboard 31'] the ball passes through. I

Needless to say, in putting the ball will be dropped on the covering l-2 neart'he tee end of the base 1 and the putt willWbe-rnade--with respect to the center escapement 3El;fthe=- strke as depending upon whichever of the escapernents i value subsequently recorded therefor being "determined according to the accuracy of the putt;

0f course, if the ball stops short of the'escape Umnt uni-tl5 no stroke value will be recorded;

In such. case it willbe assumed that twofputts were required to sink? the ball. On theother hand, if the ball is putted accurately, but too ,hard," it will pass beyond the escapement unit l5 with such speed as to strike in a channel I! pr on-some othersurface beyond the escapement unit, whereupon thestroke value to be recorded will be determined solely by the deflection of the 'ballafter striking, but in any event the stroke value recorded will very likely correspond to that which would result fromthe same stroke on a regular putting green. v

As a matter of explanation, it is pointed out that the scoreboard will be adapted to record a cumulative score up to a certain numberfsay ten'. Thus in either an instructive or competitive use of the apparatus, a cumulative score willbe recorded for each hole, with the player making a drive, an approach and a putt, although the play is" not necessarily limited to three shots. For exampleifit is predetermined that the yard age of the hole being played is long, theplayer may employ other wood shots after drivinghoi' long iron shots. In other words, any type"of shot, or different types of shots in any sequence that might be employed in a regular" gam-ebf golf, may beused. f "i It has. been stated that in the event of a putt being made so that it fails to record a stroke value it :will be assumed that two putts wererequired to sin the ball. Attention is calledla lso to the i fact that if the ball is driven from thetee sofr'n-H accurately or improperly that it comes to rest add; to the; total registered thereon a predeter+ mined. stroke'value for each shot thusmadeu r 1 Thegball reservoir or well I 8 is accessible through an" opening in the top wall 25 of the base I which is closed by a movable cover 45. If the ILT apparatus is used for amusement, it may be de sirable to have a limited number of balls 10 con tained in the well IBand the cover 45 operated'by suitable: coin-controlled locking mechanism, a On the other hand, if the apparatus is intended for private use, no locking mechanism is required and the cover 45 maybe left free for movement at any and all timesto permit access to the ball supply. Whichever arrangement is employed is immaterialjto the present invention. H l I It will be clear now that the present'invention provides an: apparatus which in all essential respectsgprovidesthe player with the means for practicing or playing golf. just as on a regular gplfcourse, In-the useofthe apparatus; it is not necessary to perform trick shots or employ lunorthodox technique. The .score that a player makes depends solely upon his skill in playing the regular game. The apparatus, of course, may be built to different specifications as to size, and may be set up indoors or out-of-doors. Moreover, two

or more=units may be set up side by side, which particularly adapts the apparatus. for golf practice ranges, amusement parks, and the like. .As already stated, a preferredembodiment-of the invention only has been shownin the accompanying drawings and obviously many variations and modifications may be. madeithereinwhich will stillbe comprised within itsspirit, and the invention is not limited to any specific former em- .bodiment except insofar as such-limitations are specified in the appended claims. 1v 7 -Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: r I

.1. A golf game apparatus includingan upvright target comprising enclosingsides and back .,filled with paddingmaterial, said target presenting a front impact surface composed of pliant material; a cushion-extending forwardlyfrom the foot of the target and presenting a forwardly and downwardly sloping top surface ofpliant material; downwardly inclined runways contacting with and reaching forwardly from the cushion; and a-base member communicating with and stretching forwardly from the runways and iormed with a bottom, enclosing side walls and a 01 a i game apparatus including an upright target comprisingenclosing sides and back filled iwithspadding material, said target presenting a front impact surface composed of pliant material and formed with a pair of vertically spaced apart material and presents an irregular surface, and so openings; aconduit at the rear of the impact surfaceI communicating between said Openings; a cushion extending forwardly'from thefoot of the target and presenting a forwardlyanddownwardly sloping top surface-0f pliant material; downwardly inclined runways contacting with andreaching forwardly from the cushion; and a base member communicating with and-stretch.

' ing forwardly from the. runways and formed with albottom, enclosing side walls and a top. 3. A golf game apparatus as in claim 2 in which the target is forwardly inclined, and the upper of theopenings is centrally disposed of the target.

. .4... A golf game apparatus as in claim 2 in which the runways are arrangedv in contiguous lateral relation.

5 ,A golf game apparatus as-in claim 2 in which the} base member has below its top aforwardly asvaees nd d wnward s pin f l er, a arm; d i elements arrangedrin said filler one adjacent the outer end of each runway,- and a scoring device is arranged above-the target and is operable by said wardly. '.sloping i top gsurface. .of pliant material;

downwardly inclined runways contacting. with and. reaching forwardly from the Icushionra, for

wardly. and downwardlysloping escapementun'it contacting; with and extending forwardly from said runways and constructed with passages. in register with and forming continuations' "of .said

runways and having restrictedouter ends; and

a base member. communicating. with and stretching forwardly fronithe escapement. un'it and formed-with.a ,bottom,.enclosing side wallsjan'd a top. a.

. .7. A golf game apparatus as in claims in which I the top of the base member is formed of carpeting said base member has between its'top and bottom av partition-extending from an inner corner of the base. to the .opposite .diagonal'outer corner and has below itstop a forwardly and downwardly sloping; triangular filler extending -between said partition and aside ,wall ofthebase and from the escapementunit to the front wall of the base. f

. 8.. A golf game apparatus including an upright forwardly inclined target comprising enclosing .sidesand back filledwith padding material; said target presenting a front impact surface composed of pliant material and formed with a pair of vertically alignedand spaced apart. openings,

the u per of said OPeningsbeinglocated centrally- .of the impact surfacga. conduit at the rear of the impact surface ,cornmunicating between said openings; a cushion fcontacting with and extending forwardly from the foot of. thetarget and presenting a forwardly and downwardly sloping topsurface of pliant material; downwardly inclined runwayscontacting with and reachingforwardly from the cushion and arranged in con- 4 tigu'cus lateral relation; aforwardly and down-.

wardly sloping escapement unit contactingiwith and extendingforwardly from said runways and constructed with passages in register with and forming continuations of said runways and hava ing restricted outer ends; a base member communicating with andstretching forwardly from theescapement unitand formed witha bottom, enclosing sidewalls and a top formed of carpetin'g' material and presenting an irregular surface,

said base member having between its top and bottom a-partition extending from an inner corner of the base to the opposite diagonal outer corner thereof, and said base having belowits top a forwardly and downwardly sloping triangular filler extending between said partition and a side wall of the base andfrom the escapement unit to the front wall of the base; electrical contact e1ements arranged in said filler. one adjacent the .outer end of; each escapement passage and a scoring device arranged above the target and'operable by said electrical contacts. v, r 

